Losing teeth is a natural part of growing up, but if this is your first experience with your child losing teeth, you might be feeling a little concerned about it. Children can sometimes find this part of their development unsettling, and parents may find it challenging as well. Here are a few things you can expect when your child starts to lose baby teeth and how a childrens dentist can help.
Range in Ages
There is no set age for a child to lose their baby teeth, but on average most children will start to notice a wiggly tooth around the age of five. If you notice loose teeth in much younger children or toddlers, you should contact a childrens dentist. This could be a sign of a dental problem. Your child may still be losing baby teeth as old as eleven or twelve. If your child hasn’t lost all of their baby teeth by thirteen, a children’s dentist can advise you on why this may be the case.
Fear or Anxiety
Some children are very excited to start losing their baby teeth because they see it as a sign of growing up. However, some children may be scared by this part of their development. They may be anxious about swallowing the tooth, or they may be scared that pulling the tooth out with be painful. As the parent, you need to reassure your child as much as possible, that this is a very normal part of growing up, and when the tooth is ready to come out it will not hurt.
Helping the Process
It is entirely normal for kids to play with their loose teeth, moving them around with tongues or fingers. This behavior helps the tooth roots let go but warn your child not to pull hard on the tooth. Pulling it before it is ready can cause bleeding and pain and put your child at risk for infection.
If you try to rush the tooth to come out, or insist that you pull it before it’s ready, you could create a great deal of dental anxiety for your child. You want to try and avoid any reason your kid might become afraid of visiting the dentist in the future. Dental anxiety contributes to a lot of oral health issues, and according to the CDC, by age 8 almost 52% of children have had a cavity in their baby teeth.
If you are looking for a children’s dentist, please give us a call today. Lowell Dental Arts provides excellent pediatric dental services in your area. We will be happy to assist you and your family on their oral health journey.